Amazon announced more than a dozen new hardware products today, along with several software updates, all aimed at bringing its voice assistant Alexa to more devices in your home—and even to your car.

Some of the products were updates to existing Echo devices; others were brand new, like a new Echo Sub speaker, or a Fire TV device that acts as a DVR for local TV broadcasts. And, as rumored, there was a new home appliance in the mix too: An Amazon Basics microwave that works with Alexa and will sell for the low price of $60.

Flourishes - Media - Event - Seattle - Washington

There were few dramatic flourishes at the media event in Seattle, Washington as senior vice president of devices and services Dave Limp rattled off the new products. The event was held on the top floor of Amazon's Spheres, a biodome located directly next to the company's corporate offices. Limp began the event by saying 70 new products would be announced within just an hour's time, software updates included. There were no glossy product videos, or detailed descriptions of the materials used in the new hardware. The whole event underscored Amazon's strategy of selling high-volume, low-cost hardware in an effort to get customers to use more of its services. And, of course, it was a good reminder that Amazon wants to be absolutely everywhere.

Amazon updated its Echo Dot, Echo Plus, and Echo Show speakers today, keeping the same pricing as earlier models while adding small tweaks that make them sound better and look better.

Echo - Dot - Dot - Fabric - Sides

The new Echo Dot is bigger than the previous Dot, and it's now covered with fabric on the sides. It looks like a little pouf on your coffee table or nightstand. It now has a 1.6-inch driver, Limp said, updated from the old model's 1.1-inch driver, and is 70 percent louder. It connects...